File cabinet ii

ABSTRACT

A filing cabinet having a series of vertically arranged drawers which are designed for horizontal storage of documents and drawings. When withdrawn from the filing cabinet, these drawers are pivoted downward about a stationary lip secured laterally to the cabinet front between the bottom of the drawer being withdrawn and the top of the drawer immediately below. In this manner, the fully withdrawn drawer is suspended in a vertical position from the lip by an elongated, curved flange extending laterally of the bottom rear edge of the drawer and hooked about the lip so as to place the stored documents and drawings, which previously were in a horizontal position, in a vertical position for ready access thereto.

United States Patent James E. Barrow 148 Main St., Jonesboro, Ga. 30236 1211 Appl. No. 869,172

[22] Filed Oct. 24, 1969 [45] Patented June 22, 1971 [72] Inventor [s4] FILE CABINET u [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,325,965 12/1919 Thomas 312/323 2,241,884 5/1941 Noble 312/323 2,857,558 10/1958 Fiske 312/323 3,311,438 3/1967 Barrow 312/323 3,489,479 1/1970 Sulentic 312/109 X Primary Examiner-James T. McCall Attorney-Newton, Hopkins & Ormsby ABSTRACT: A filing cabinet having a series of vertically arranged drawers which are designed for horizontal storage of documents and drawings. When withdrawn from the filing cabinet, these drawers are pivoted downward about a stationary lip secured laterally to the cabinet front between the bottom of the drawer being withdrawn and the top of the drawer immediately below. In this manner, the fully withdrawn drawer is suspended in a vertical position from the lip by an elongated, curved flange extending laterally of the bottom rear edge of the drawer and hooked'aboutthe lip so as to place the stored documents and drawings, which previously were in a horizontal position, in a vertical position for ready access thereto.

PATENTED JUN22 IEIYI 35 6.410

' SHEET 1 OF 2 FIG. I

INVENTOR 44455 f 54200 ATTORNEYS PATENTEU JUNZZ'IQYI SHEET 2 OF 2 BY 14%; #M

ATTORNEYS FILE CABINET lII BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to filing cabinets and more particularly to an improved drawer for a filing cabinet of the type which, upon being withdrawn from the cabinet, may be pivoted to a vertical position.

Many types of documents and drawings are best stored in a flat or horizontal position relative to the supporting plate of various filing cabinets. In filing the documents and drawings in this manner, it is possible to keep the edges thereof from being bent over and torn as frequently occurs when such materials are filed on edge in an upright position. It is particularly desirable to file drawings and the like in a flat, horizontal position to prevent them from becoming bowed or curved as often happens when they are filed in a vertical manner.

One disadvantage of horizontal filing, however, as compared to vertical filing, is that the documents and drawings are stacked or piled up in a horizontal relationship within the filing drawer compartment such that any document or drawing which is not on top of the stack or pile is difficult to locate and to retrieve. The same is true when attempting to replace a document or drawing in its proper place within the stack or pile. In vertical filing, none of these disadvantages occurs since all the documents and drawings have an edge exposed for easy location, withdrawal and replacement.

A filing cabinet having drawers which are easily and conveniently moved from horizontal storage positions to vertical access positions and which thereby provides all the advantages of a vertical filing system while retaining none of the disadvantages of previously known horizontal filing systems is described in the US. Pat. No. 3,311,438, issued Mar. 28, 1967, to James E. Barrow. The drawers of that filing cabinet, when withdrawn from the cabinet, may be pivoted downward in such a manner as to place the stored documents and drawings, which previously were in a horizontal position, in a vertical position. Thus the documents and drawings are always stored in a horizontal position, yet when locating and retrieving the same, or in replacing them, they may be readily placed in a vertical position.

While the aforementioned patented filing cabinet is satisfactory for most storage purposes, it has been found that the drawers, when withdrawn and pivoted downward into a vertical access position, are not as stably supported as might be desired in some cases. This is true because the drawers therein are pivoted upon withdrawal from the cabinet about the handle of the drawer immediately below. Thus, since the fulcrum is positioned on a movable part of the cabinet, in this case the handle of another drawer, there is a tendency to pull the other drawer slightly open when first starting to pivot the withdrawn drawer downward toward the vertical position and, of course, to close the other drawer as the fully withdrawn drawer is lowered thereagainst in its vertical position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved filing cabinet having a novel drawer arrangement which provides for the advantages of both horizontal and vertical filing positions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a filing cabinet drawer which, upon being withdrawn from the cabinet, may be stably pivoted to a vertical position.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved pivoting and support means for filing cabinet drawers having more stability than previously known drawers of the type described.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved filing cabinet drawer in which documents and drawings may be filed in a horizontal position yet located, retrieved and replaced in a vertical position.

The foregoing and other objects are attained by a filing cabinet having a series of drawers therein which, when 5 position for facilitating the location, retrieval and replacement of such documents or drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Still other objects and many of the attendant features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent as the same becomes better understood from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like or corresponding parts are designated by like reference numerals throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a'filing cabinet having a series of vertically stacked drawers constructed in accordance with the present invention; and,

FIG. 2 is a side view partly in section of a filing cabinet showing the manner in which a novel drawer of the present invention, upon withdrawal from the cabinet, is pivoted about a stationary support secured to the outside frontal portion of the cabinet and finally supported therefrom in the vertical position resting against the handle and the stationary pivot of the drawer immediately below.

DESCRIPTION OF AN ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a filing cabinet 10 having a conventional exterior cabinet housing 11. The front of the cabinet housing is substantially open and is generally divided into a series of vertically arranged compartments for receiving the drawers 12, 12a, 12b, and 12c. These drawers are supported at their lower edges by rails 15 secured in appropriate positions on the interior sidewalls of the cabinet housing and having thereon a plurality of bearing surfaces 16 upon which the drawers may be freely slid into or out of the cabinet housing.

The withdrawn and positioned drawer 12 is provided with the usual baseplate l7, sidewalls l8 and faceplate 19 secured across the front of the drawer which may have attached thereto a card or label holder, not shown, for identifying the contents of the drawer. The usual handle 20 extends forward from the center of the faceplate 19 for withdrawing the drawer 12 from the filing cabinet. A corresponding faceplate 19c and handle 200 are shown on the lowermost drawer 120.

Although the drawer 12 is shown having only a very small top plate 23, the top plate may be much larger if desired, covering up to substantially all of the entire top area of the drawer, whereupon access to the contents of the drawer would be through the rear opening in the drawer. As illustrated, however, a keeper plate 24 hingedat 25 on the top plate 23 is employed to retain the contents within the drawer. Spring-loaded hinges may be used with the keeper plate 24 for maintaining pressure on the contents of the drawer and urging them against the baseplate 17 such that they will remain in a fiat condition whether in a vertical or horizontal position.

The keeper plate 24 is shown having an angle near the hinge, thereby enabling the plate to extend at an angle out through the top of the drawer, as shown in FIG. 2, where the contents of the drawer may be rested thereagainst in an orderly, upright manner readily accessible to the user.

The back of the drawer 12 is shownsubstantially open so as to allow access to the contents of the drawer when placed in a vertical position as shown in the drawings. If additional strengthening of the rear of the drawer is desired, bracing pieces 27 may be attached to the baseplate 17 and sidewalls l8. Optionally, the back of the drawer 12 may be provided with a fixed, removable or hinged backing plate in which case access to the contents of the drawer would be through the top. A plate of this type also would prevent any rearward movement of the contents of the drawer when the drawer is closed. Disposed on the upper rear edge of the drawer, on the bracing pieces 27 in the illustrated embodiment, are a pair of rear stop members 28 which allow the front of the drawer 12 to fit flush with the front of the filing cabinet when the drawer is pushed closed.

Shown in its vertical position wherein its contents are presented to a person standing in front of the cabinet in the same manner as in a vertical filing drawer, the drawer 12 is supported in this position by an elongate flange 32 curved into a substantially semicircular arc and axially disposed along the rear edge of the baseplate 17 of the drawer, or along the bracing piece 27 secured to the baseplate 17. The flange 32 acts as a hook for the drawer 12 when it engages an elongate upright lip 33 disposed laterally along the front edge of a plate member 34 secured between the uppermost compartment of the cabinet and the one immediately below and protruding beyond the cabinet front approximately the same distance as the handle 20a of the drawer 12a. As shown most clearly in FIG. 1, the flange 32 and the upper hanger lip 33 over which the flange 32 becomes hooked are substantially equal in length to the distance between the rails 15 upon which the drawer l2 slides and are disposed therebetween, such that when the drawer 12 is placed into the filing cabinet 10, it rests upon the bearing surfaces 16 with the flange 32 disposed between the rails 15 and in the same plane.

Upon opening a drawer, for example, drawer 12 of FIG. 2, the handle is grasped and pulled forward. The drawer slides horizontally forward on its bearing surfaces 16 over the rails 15 until it is nearly withdrawn from the cabinet. At this point, the drawer 12 begins to rotate downward due to the weight of the drawer and its contents and the fact that it is unsupported at its front edge in this withdrawn position. With continued forward motion and downward rotation of the drawer, the rear flange 32 thereon engages the hanger lip 33 of the stationary part 34. This prevents any further forward motion along a horizontal path but allows the rotational downward motion to continue until the baseplate 17 of the drawer 12 becomes stabilized against the lip 33a of the next lower stationary plate 34a and the handle 20a of the drawer 12a immediately below.

With the drawer 12 in a vertical position as well as its contents, access to the contents may be had through an opening in the rear of the drawer, which actually becomes the top when the drawer is in a vertical position, or the contents may be allowed to pivot outward through the top opening of the drawer, which actually becomes the front when the drawer is in a vertical position, by the action of the keeper plate 24. In either case, the contents are presented in a vertical manner for easy location, retrieval and replacement.

The drawer 12 may be closed by grasping the handle 20 and rotating the drawer upward while pushing it into the filing cabinet 10. The flange 32 smoothly separates from the hanger lip 33 and the drawer moves rearward on the bearing surfaces 16 over rails 15 until the rear stops 28 contact the backwall of the filing cabinet at which point the drawer is fully seated within the cabinet in such a manner that the front faceplate 19 is flush with the cabinet front.

While the filing cabinet shown herein has four drawers, it should be understood that filing cabinets having a smaller or greater number of drawers are contemplated within the scope of this invention. Furthermore, the drawers of the present invention may beused in combination with drawers for only vertical filing with all being housed within the same cabinet.

Obviously, many modifications and variations are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the in vention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

Whatl claim is:

l. in a filing cabinet having a series of drawers arranged vertically therein, the improvement which comprises:

hooking means extending downward from the bottom plate of at least one of said series of drawers; and,

stationary means immovably disposed upon said cabinet and extending from said cabinet front between the bottom plate of said at least one of said series of drawersand the top of another of said series of drawers positioned therebelow for engaging said hooking means.

2. The filing cabinet improvement set forth in claim 1,

wherein:

said stationary means extends laterally of said cabinet front along a line parallel to the front edge of said bottom plate of said at least one of said series of drawers and the front edge of said top of said another of said series of drawers.

3. The filing cabinet improvement set forth in claim 2,

wherein:

said stationary means comprises a projection from said cabinet front having a width somewhat less than the width of said at least one of said series of drawers, and,

an upright lip on the front edge of said projection along the complete length thereof.

4. The filing cabinet improvement set forth in claim 3, wherein:

said stationary projection extends from said cabinet front at least as far as the handles on the drawers below.

5. The filing cabinet improvement set forth in claim 3, wherein:

said hooking means on said at least one of said series of drawers extends along a line parallel to the rear edge of said bottom plate and has a length along said line less than the width of said at least one of said series of drawers.

6. The filing cabinet improvement set forth in claim 4, wherein:

said hooking means comprises a curved flange open-faced in the direction of said cabinet front.

7. A filing cabinet having a housing, supporting rails attached to the sides of the housing which divide the front of the housing into a series of compartments, a series of drawers which slide into each compartment supported by the rails, at least one of said drawers comprising a baseplate, sidewalls, a front faceplate, hooking means extending downward from the baseplate and a handle extending outward from the front faceplate, the improvement therein comprising:

stationary pivot means secured to said housing and projecting from the front of said housing for engaging said hooking means upon withdrawal of said at least one of said drawers from said housing.

8. The filing cabinet improvement set forth in claim 7, wherein:

a separate stationary pivot is provided for each of said at least one of said drawers, and,

each of said stationary pivots extends laterally of said housing between the baseplate of its respective drawer and the top of the compartment below and in a line parallel to the front edges of both.

9. The filing cabinet improvement set forth in claim 8, wherein: I

each of said stationary pivots comprises a projection having an upright lip on the front edge thereof, and,

said hooking means on each of said at least one of saidseries of drawers extends along a line parallel to the rear edge of said baseplate and has a length along said line less than the width of said drawers.

10. The filing cabinet improvement set forth in claim 9, wherein:

said hooking means is a curved flange open in the direction of said housing front, and,

said flange has a length substantially near to but slightly less than the distance between said supporting rails in each of said compartments.

11. The filing cabinet improvement set forth in claim 10, wherein:

the top of said upright lip on each of said stationary pivots is at approximately the same level as the supporting rails for the respective drawer.

12. In a filing cabinet having a plurality of drawers arranged in vertical alignment the improvement comprising:

of said cabinet, and fulcrum engaging means positioned adjacent the lower portion of at least one of said drawers for engaging said fulcrum means when said drawer is withdrawn to allow said drawer to rotate about said fulcrum means to a substantially vertical position. 

1. In a filing cabinet having a series of drawers arranged vertically therein, the improvement which comprises: hooking means extending downward from the bottom plate of at least one of said series of drawers; and, stationary means immovably disposed upon said cabinet and extending from said cabinet front between the bottom plate of said at least one of said series of drawers and the top of another of said series of drawers positioned therebelow for engaging said hooking means.
 2. The filing cabinet improvement set forth in claim 1, wherein: said stationary means extends laterally of said cabinet front along a line parallel to the front edge of said bottom plate of said at least one of said series of drawers and the front edge of said top of said another of said series of drawers.
 3. The filing cabinet improvement set forth in claim 2, wherein: said stationary means comprises a projection from said cabinet front having a width somewhat less than the width of said at least one of said series of drawers, and, an upright lip on the front edge of said projection along the complete length thereof.
 4. The filing cabinet improvement set forth in claim 3, wherein: said stationary projection extends from said cabinet front at least as far as the handles on the drawers below.
 5. The filing cabinet improvement set forth in claim 3, wherein: said hooking means on said at least one of said series of drawers extends along a line parallel to the rear edge of said bottom plate and has a length along said line less than the width of said at least one of said series of drawers.
 6. The filing cabinet improvement set forth in claim 4, wherein: said hooking means comprises a curved flange open-faced in the direction of said cabinet front.
 7. A filing cabinet having a housing, supporting rails attached to the sides of the housing which divide the front of the housing into a series of compartments, a series of drawers which slide into each compartment supported by the rails, at least one of said drawers comprising a baseplate, sidewalls, a front faceplate, hooking means extending downward from the baseplate and a handle extending outward from the front faceplate, the improvement therein comprising: stationary pivot means secured to said housing and projecting from the front of said housing for engaging said hooking means upon withdrawal of said at least one of said drawers from said housing.
 8. The filing cabinet improvement set forth in claim 7, wherein: a separate stationary pivot is provided for each of said at least one of said drawers, and, each of said stationary pivots extends laterally of said housing between the baseplate of its respective drawer and the top of the compartment beloW and in a line parallel to the front edges of both.
 9. The filing cabinet improvement set forth in claim 8, wherein: each of said stationary pivots comprises a projection having an upright lip on the front edge thereof, and, said hooking means on each of said at least one of said series of drawers extends along a line parallel to the rear edge of said baseplate and has a length along said line less than the width of said drawers.
 10. The filing cabinet improvement set forth in claim 9, wherein: said hooking means is a curved flange open in the direction of said housing front, and, said flange has a length substantially near to but slightly less than the distance between said supporting rails in each of said compartments.
 11. The filing cabinet improvement set forth in claim 10, wherein: the top of said upright lip on each of said stationary pivots is at approximately the same level as the supporting rails for the respective drawer.
 12. In a filing cabinet having a plurality of drawers arranged in vertical alignment the improvement comprising: fulcrum means positioned externally on a stationary portion of said cabinet, and fulcrum engaging means positioned adjacent the lower portion of at least one of said drawers for engaging said fulcrum means when said drawer is withdrawn to allow said drawer to rotate about said fulcrum means to a substantially vertical position. 